Blender Trees

Started by efflux, November 21, 2008, 02:45:52 PM

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efflux

This is a test of Blender's gen3 tree generator script. I think this script is pretty good. There are a lot of parameters so presumably you can get a lot of variety. This is a Blender render of some variations on a similar tree using Blender's internal renderer. I have not tested these trees in TG2 yet. It would require some tweaking, texturing etc. There is only light procedural textures in the Blender render. The grass is created using Blender's particles. I think Blender's new features makes it much more possible to do various composting or Matte painting techniques along side TG2.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/media/folder_179/file_1785243.jpg




Confusoid

Overall they look good. Can the bark have some displacement? Blender seems like a good app. I want to test it out after the 2.5 UI is done.    ;D

efflux

The bark does not have displacement but has some bump map. I wanted to keep it smooth but I didn't want to get too involved with that (yet). When I try to get something for use in TG2 I'll go further. Maybe do something in 3D Coat to get some nice textures on bigger trunks.

Yeah, Blender 2.5 is going to be very cool. I don't care what anyone says about Blender, it is a way cool app and getting better all the time. I find it hell to work in a lot of other apps. I don't know what the big issue is with the UI. It is very simple and easily configured.

efflux

gen3 in an implementation of this inside Blender so these pictures give you an idea of the possibilities. You can use Arbaro xml files with gen3.

http://arbaro.sourceforge.net/

It takes a bit of time to generate trees but it's not a major problem. It can also make UVs fro trunk and branches.

rcallicotte

These do look good, efflux.  I was playing (emphasis on playing) with Blender yesterday and blue screened XP at work.  Ooops.  I haven't seen one of those in a lo-o-o-o-ng time.
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

efflux

OK it's best to cut to the chase and actually use that Arbaro app rather than the Blender script which is developed by the same people. You have better UI feedback in Arbaro. Just export as .obj. Anyways the Blender script does not properly import Arbaro .xmls. They get messed up.

Results are good but on linux I had some hassle setting up a launcher for Arbaro. You need to make the Java machine use more memory.

latego

gen3 looks nothing more than a port of Arbaro and is apparently dead (no update since nov 2006); its developer started ngPlant (which is in the usual forever-beta state of open source apps) and looks almost unused (just 5760 references from google).

If you try Arbaro do get the paper on which it is based and print it, otherwise you won't even understand where to start from. Remember that Arbaro trees have an enormous amount of polygons so it is going to tax your system unless TG2 supports instancing.

Bye!!!

efflux

It's only got a huge number of polygons if you design your tree to be like that. Some of the presets have vast numbers of polygons. One is so heavy I can't build the tree but that essentially means it's too heavy anyway. Otherwise it works OK.

Making good trees is not easy no matter what app you use. Few people get involved in this because it's not much fun. There are a number of issues. For example the tree parts are separated. This is OK for small branches and leaves but not so good for trunk and adjoining main branches. It's to cut down polygons though. You can change all this in your modeler though. You have to make the tree suitable in terms of how many polys the situation needs.

efflux

Also, I use many so called dead apps on Linux except they are never dead, they are just finished.

efflux

This app is great. I'm using Arbaro. It's better than the Blender script. I'm also still rendering in Blender. Not going near TG2 until I have a finished tree then I'll probably have problems. The main branches from the trunk need welding on properly and obviously some sculpting/texturing of trunk mesh etc is required but I'm pretty impressed with the results. It requires a bit of trial and error to understand this app but it's not that difficult.